Pages From The Past
by Fred H. Keller, as published in the Sussex Sun newspaper
Month of January 2007
100 years ago- 1907
Richard Weaver, one of the richest men of Sussex, died Dec. 26, 1906, and was buried just before New Year’s Day at St. Alban’s. He had served as Lisbon town chairman, county supervisor, and in the State Legislature. He made his money in banking and hops brokerage.
50 years ago – 1957
Safe crackers took $4,000 from the Sussex IGA supermarket.
Lannon and the Town of Menomonee planned to vote on a merger.
Suzy Hart’s band of Sussex entertained at the New Year’s Eve party at Germantown Bowl for $10 a person.
Bernard Krueger, 61, who operated the Brook Hotel and Krueger’s Tap in Sussex, died at his Lannon home.
25 years ago – 1982
Hufschmidt Engineering on Highway 164 shut its doors for good. It once employed 60 people.
The Sussex Sun named Dick Bilda, coach of Hamilton’s 1981 state champion baseball team, its sports personality of the year.
10 years ago – 1997
Elwood Johnson was named worshipful master of the Sussex Ashlar Lodge.
Marilyn Marchese did not run for election to the Lisbon Town Board.
In the top sports stories of 1996, John Damato, won the Land O’ Lakes league batting championship for the Sussex Cardinals team, while the Lannon Stonemen won the league’s grand championship with a perfect season, 24-0.
5 years ago – 2002
Coach Andy Cerroni’s Hamilton boys basketball team went 4-3 in the Whitnall holiday basketball tournament, beating Milwaukee Pulaski, 54-49, in the first game, led by Steve Hicklin’s 22 points and Mat Miller’s 18.
January 10, 2007, page 11.
100 years ago – 1907
the railroad offered free trips for land buyers on the Pullman Hotel train to the Panhandle of Texas. If you didn’t buy any land, the round trip cost $28.95, plus $2 per day for meals. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee road offered train rides from Milwaukee to Chicago and back for $2.
50 years ago – 1957
The $369,000 storm sewer improvements for Sussex Main Street started in 1956 was scheduled for completion this year.
Sussex Community Hall hosted teenage dances regularly.
The referendum on merging the Town of Menomonee and Lannon was defeated, 1,345 – 400 in Menomonee and 87-59 in Lannon.
25 years ago – 1982
A blizzard dumped 16 inches of snow on Sussex. Another 24 inches fell over the New Year’ holidays.
Chris Winter was named president of the Sussex Jaycees.
The temperature dropped to -27 degrees Jan. 11.
Arne Petersen took over as the new Sussex Fire Chief as the new year began.
10 years ago – 1997
Greg Zoellick was named Sussex Firefighter of the Year.
Hamilton’s basketball team has a big man this year in the 6-foot 8-inch Brian Moesch.
Joel Heckenkamp was 10-1 for the Hamilton wrestling team.
5 years ago – 2002
Lisbon and Merton were working on a border agreement.
The Sussex Sled Bugs gave Kevin Sonnermann the Big Bug Outstanding Service Award.
Guy Stars bowled a 300 at his Sussex Bowl emporium.
January 17, 2007, page 17
100 years ago – 1907
Advertisement: “Mr. Edison wants to see a phonograph in every American home.”
Friends dropped in on Mr. And Mrs. Herman Maas in Lisbon to congratulate them on the 25th wedding anniversary.
50 years ago – 1957
The Sussex Community Hall held a teenage hop Jan. 12.
Sussex Main Street School’s ice-skating rink was open before school, during recess, and afternoon and evenings.
Sussex Lions George Podolske, John Kraemer, Art Bauer, William Zillmer, and Ray Schroeder will buy tickets for the children going to the Shriners’ Circus.
25 years ago – 1982
Duane Zick has been in the trenching business for 20 years.
Thirty-five 12-to-16 year olds took the Sussex Sled Bugs’ DNR snowmobile safety course at Sussex Village Park
Six-foot 4-inch junior forward Mark Ernwein was the leading scorer on the Hamilton basketball team.
10 years ago – 1997
Lisbon Fire Chief Joe Farley accused longtime Town Clerk Betty Fryda of “mail mismanagement” in bill payments. Supervisor Marilyn Marchese demanded that Fryda resign. Fryda claimed they had a vendetta against her.
5 years ago – 2002
A trial was set for former flag football coach and hunting safety instructor Dennis Hohol for sexually assaulting boys.
Wanner Bookkeeping and Schan Business Enterprises , two venerable local businesses joined forces.
January 24, 2007, page 11
100 years ago – 1907
Mrs. Eva Kraetsch, 64, of Lisbon, died on Jan. 28. The services were held in Merton. The Rev. Mountain officiated.
The Rev. Paul E. Scheidel was the pastor of St. James Catholic Church.
William D. McGill was the Lisbon town chairman.
50 years ago – 1957
Lannon residents got up a petition for sidewalks on Lannon Road from Main Street to the Bug Line Railroad.
The pioneer-founded Lisbon Mutual Insurance Co. merged with the Menomonee Falls Mutual Insurance Co.
Memorial services were held at St. James Catholic Church for Bud Wildt, 26, a former resident of Lannon. He disappeared into the ocean five miles off Key West, Fla.
25 years ago – 1982
Lisbon postponed its decision on the fire contract with Sussex. The Rich Ludka-coached Hamilton boys’ basketball team went undefeated in the Braveland Conference.
The Templeton Middle School girls’ eight-grade basketball team, coached by Joe Weber, finished the season, 15-1, close to its’ seventh-grade record.
10 years ago – 1997
Reiner Nettesheim, 80, died. He was a charter member of the Olde Engine Club that put on a show every August in Sussex Village Park.
Pauline Haass Public Library was flooded by melting snow.
5 years ago – 2002
The Sussex-Lisbon Are Historical Society had its eye on the old Sussex Northwestern Railroad Depot as a possible location for tits museum and research center.
The Marchese family of North Lisbon Road got into a family feud over a common driveway.
January 31, 2007, page 12.
100 years ago – 1907
Lisbon farmer Herbert Stone purchased a Sharpie Separator.
The Card-Magnetic straight-edge razor, sold in a leather case, cost $5.50, and its leather sharpening strap, $1 extra.
The Sussex Ladies Auxiliary held a tea at Lisbon Town Hall with Mrs. Kaderabek, Mrs. Lees, Mrs. Rosier, and Miss Jane Weaver as servers.
50 years ago – 1957
Sahara home stoker coal cost $15.95 per ton delivered in 3-ton lots to the home.
Chuck roasts cost 29 cents a pound, while smelt went for 29 cents for two pounds.
J. H. Culvin asked to be released from the pastorship of Lisbon Presbyterian Church, effective in mid-February.
Sussex’s first pharmacy opened. Vern Gullickson was its regular pharmacist.
25 years ago – 1982
Lisbon accepted Sussex’s $105,000 fire-rescue contract.
Roy Baker of Sussex, president of the Mammoth Spring Canning Co., resigned the presidency of the Sussex-Lisbon Business and Professional Association because of his pending relocation to the parent Friday Canning Co. offices.
10 years ago – 1997
The Sussex-Lisbon Business and Professional Association elected Roudell Kirkwood its president and Betty Riemer its secretary.
A masked man robbed Quick Corners Amoco.
The Sussex Village Board named Allan Olmstead to replace Brian Anderson, who resigned from his board seat.
5 years ago – 2002
Flight for Life went to a Lisbon traffic accident at Highways V and K. Three people were injured.
Sussex firefighter Mike Knapp turned his leave of absence into a resignation to pursue his rise to Village President.